Twenty-year-old Zakea said that his design was named after a quote from Poet Maya Angelou, ‘In diversity there is beauty.’

“This is fitting because the Youth Olympic Games are not only a celebration of human excellence but also of culture and humanity. The spiral represents a culture of respect, friendship and excellence as young athletes gather at the Youth Olympic Games to celebrate their success,” he said.

Zakea is in his second year pursuing Creative Media Production degree at Massey’s College of

Creative Arts in Wellington.

A Prolific Artist

A prolific artist, he flew to Los Angeles last year to take part in the Performing Arts World Championships and won three silver medals with his unique art-form, which blends sports and painting.

“I am thrilled that my design was selected. Sport and design are my two passions and I am currently working on combining the two as part of my degree at Massey. My dream is to perform do live art paintings at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony,” Zakea said.

As the winner of the design, he will be invited to attend the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2020, including the Opening Ceremony, and witness athletes being awarded medals featuring his design.

In addition, he will receive his own set of medals and a Samsung Tablet.